Screaming and fighting bedtime

DS is 17 mths old and has always been a good sleeper. He naps well - adjusted from 2 naps to 1 very well - and has STTN for a while now. Lately - he stands up after we give him his bottle and lay him in the crib - and just screams and cries til one of us goes in (typically after 15 mins) to soothe him. Last night after 30 mins I went in and he fell asleep in my arms - I would put him down and he'd jump right up. 3x of this and finally he fell into a deep sleep. Put him in his crib and he was out. But then he woke up at 2am screaming. We've cut out the night bottle, and have given him ibuprofen/tylenol for his teeth - and DH and I are both stumped.

He has all of his teeth - the last 2 have broken through - the incisors - so I don't know what's causing this. His nightlight broke a week ago and I have to pick a new one up - we've replaced it with a different nightlight so I don't know if that's causing it.

Also, he SCREAMS all day long. Attention-getter I know - but will it ever stop? High-pitched SCREAMS. Any advice how to stop it? So far we've been walking away or distracting - but it's so high!

Comments (9)

I am going through the same thing except my DS has never slept through the night only a few times and I never really thought about teething maybe that why his sippy cup soothes him because its cold water, but now the issue is if I give him a cup at night he Pees up a storm and piss the whole crib.

Omg I just posted on this. My DS is the same and now wakes up 5 times a night and climbs out of the crib if I go in but stays in it I'd DH goes. I think it is the second year molars coming in. But am not sure and have exhausted all soothing techniques. I hope it ends soon

I am having this same issue with my 17 month old daughter. She is screaming at night and I don't know what to do to help. She will sleep if I hold her or if she is within an arms length of me. We are getting 4 hours of sleep each night. She is also having big seperation anxiety issues. She only wants mommy all day. I can not set her down without tears. ANY advice would be so helpful. I heard another parent suggest melatonin.... suggestions?

This is us too. For a while, DS would tell us when he was ready to lay down. We would lay him down with a book and he would go right to sleep, no fuss and it was WONDERFUL!!! then all of a sudden last week it became a marathon. screaming fighting kicking ugly mess at bedtime. He was getting up several times during the night too. Then he got a cold/cough this weekend and things got even worse. Last night it was an hour and a half of our new "routine" before I was able to rock him to sleep, but he slept all night again, which was a nice break. Hoping it is just a stage and by next week, we will be back to peaceful bedtimes.

We stay the course and wait it out. Our guy's issue is probably teeth. I read this is age where they get afraid of the dark, so I respond promptly. If he's standing I get him, if laying down, I stand by.

He's been needing a back rub to go to sleep and just last night woke at 3 for 2 hours. Nursing a lot when he was down to every third day. I'm keeping a close watch on the ears as well. Snotty from teething can turn quickly to ear trouble.

I am SO glad I found this post. I just went through this, and am here to relieve your worry and tell you it WILL stop! My son did it for a month! The only thing I changed was I gave him a sippy cup of water to hold onto in his crib, and I started only letting him nap 2 hours max, no later than 2:30 in the afternoon. I don't know if any of those contributed, but you should do the same! He will start going down again!